After the eighteen deaths over the weekend, due to low temperatures, Italy continues in the grip of frost even on Monday. The weather situation predicts a low pressure nucleus located in the central south of the peninsula, with a center located in the lower Adriatic and blocked between two high pressures, one in the north-west and one in the south-east. This perturbation will bring more snow and polar temperatures throughout the peninsula at least for another week.
ROME - Meanwhile, the controversies do not cease, after the frontal attacks between the mayor of Rome Gianni Alemanno and the head of civil protection Franco Gabrielli. This morning, in an interview with Corriere della Sera, it is the Interior Minister Anna Maria Cancellieri spoke: “The mayors are primarily responsible – he said-. Alemanno had been alerted, and it was he who didn't ask for help. The Civil Defense has done his duty. Now enough controversy, let's think about working ". The minister's statements seemed necessary and dutiful to disavow the first Roman citizen, who yesterday by calling the television program "In half an hour" on Raitre (where Franco Gabrielli was a guest) he tried in every way to blame the weather forecasts of the Civil Protection, even announcing, also through the secretary of his party Angelino Alfano, a parliamentary commission of inquiry. Alemanno's accusations have frankly found little opposition in Gabrielli's defence, which however is corroborated by the facts, by the recorded telephone calls and by the unequivocal words of the Minister of the Interior. The Mayor of Rome is now increasingly alone, against everyone. And meanwhile he announces the schools closed also for Tuesday, while public offices will be open again.
FORECASTS - The vortex will continue to draw very cold air of Arctic origin from the high pressure area in the North West and cause snowfall in the next 24-36 hours. The regions most at risk will be those that are already suffering the most from the emergency: Emilia Romagna, Marche, Abruzzo. But not only the Adriatic side will be affected and the snow could return this week to the plains in the North and on the Tyrrhenian side, in Tuscany and Lazio. The Civil Protection has issued a new weather alert to report, on Monday 6 February, the arrival of rain in the South and snow up to lowland levels in Emilia Romagna, Abruzzo, Molise, Marche, Campania and Puglia. In the longer term, starting from mid-week a new cold wave arriving from Russia. And still risk of snow in Rome. Meanwhile, the army has also intervened and is in the field with 530 men and about 90 vehicles to help deal with the bad weather emergency. The military intervened in numerous municipalities in the most affected provinces, in Lazio, Abruzzo, Molise, Tuscany, Emilia Romagna and Marche.
EUROPE – The Siberian cold wind is not sparing Europe either and continues to advance westward. In France, 48 people have died in the last 5 hours, in London Heathrow airport, the busiest on the continent, has reduced its operations due to snow and ice. Overall, the victims were over 300. The most affected country is still Ukraine, where 140 people lost their lives; 70 in Russia, 53 in Poland.
GAS EMERGENCY – As for the gas consumption, reached a record 440 million cubic meters consumed in Italy, a level never reached in the past. This was announced by the Ministry of Development which speaks of "exceptional peak alert” and announces that it is “evaluating further measures”. Scaroni of Enel announces possible cuts starting from Wednesday: "The critical situation could translate, from Thursday, into secondments for some companies".
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